Nearly six months after he sought political asylum in Ecuador's London embassy, Mr Assange doesn't expect his circumstances to change soon.

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange. Photo: Reuters

Although he thinks it "inevitable" that the United States government will eventually drop its espionage investigation into WikiLeaks, he fears such an outcome may be "several years away".

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In an interview with Fairfax Media, Mr Assange suggested the court martial of alleged WikiLeaks source, US Army Private Bradley Manning, now scheduled for March, would reveal "details … about how [US prosecutors] may have framed a case for conspiracy between … Manning and myself."

"Getting the US investigation dropped, that is our number-one priority," he said.

Mr Assange said plans to register an Australian WikiLeaks party were ''significantly advanced''. He indicated he would be a Senate candidate, and added that "a number of very worthy people admired by the Australian public" have indicated their availability to stand for election on a party ticket.

Mr Assange said he is able to fulfil the requirements to register as an overseas elector in either New South Wales or Victoria and that he will shortly take a "strategic decision" about which state he would be a Senate candidate for.

Mr Assange's biological father, John Shipton, has co-ordinated preparations for the formation of a WikiLeaks party, and a draft of the party's constitution has been subjected to legal review.

Registration of the party with the Australian Electoral Commission would require confirmation of 500 members who are listed on the electoral roll. Mr Assange hopes that WikiLeaks' internet presence, which includes a Twitter account with nearly 1.7 million followers and a Facebook page with more than 2.1 million "likes", and the formation of ''friends of WikiLeaks'' groups would mobilise Australian supporters.

He said a WikiLeaks party would advance WikiLeaks' objectives of promoting openness in government and politics, and it would combat growing intrusions on individual privacy.

If Mr Assange were elected but he was unable to return to Australia to take up his position, a nominee would occupy a Senate seat.

Mr Assange said he had been "quite encouraged" by series of published polls through the past two years that showed support for WikiLeaks had remained "consistently high".

Opinion polls this year by UMR Research, the company the Labor Party uses for its internal polling, have suggested that Mr Assange could be a competitive Senate candidate in either NSW or Victoria, most likely fighting it out with the Australian Greens for the last of six seats up for grabs in each state in a half-Senate election.

It is understood Mr Assange has consulted WikiLeaks supporters, including several prominent journalists and legal figures, since he indicated his intention to explore a Senate candidacy eight months ago.

Mr Assange believes "the building of political opposition to the persecution of a media organisation" will lead the US Department of Justice to drop its espionage investigation.

340 comments

He must be seriously deluded if he thinks he can be elected.

Commenter

Robbo

Location

Mt Eliza

Date and time

December 13, 2012, 7:31AM

Actually Robbo, he is a very big chance to win a seat in the Senate - as an individual this fellow has a global following of 1m+ supporters and enjoys a 100 times higher profile and recognition than Julia Gillard on the world stage. If he chose to run I suspect he would easily become a senator for the right seat on his Wikileaks platform, also you don't think Christine Milne isn't harboring thoughts on how the Greens could harness Julian Assange's high profile for themselves?

Commenter

Tim

Location

Mount Eliza

Date and time

December 13, 2012, 8:32AM

I'm voting for him.

Commenter

ym

Location

Melbourne

Date and time

December 13, 2012, 8:34AM

He is a shameless self promoter who apparently still hasn't been house trained. Anti Western ,doesn;t believe in democracy - go away

Commenter

gc

Date and time

December 13, 2012, 8:35AM

It's not the issue of being elected for Senate it is the issue of being able to leave that embassy in London freely, of course we swear thy oath to our Queen but we have no power of what happens to Assange if he walks out of that Embassy. The US I am suggesting have special accom set aside for him at Quantamano Bay with nice activities too partake in like waterboarding and drug induced parties. By the way where is Senator Carr when you need him most? Obviously not getting Australians out of foreign troubles.

Commenter

Pickled Herring

Location

Frankston

Date and time

December 13, 2012, 8:41AM

"still hasn't been house trained. Anti Western ,doesn;t believe in democracy"

Honestly gc, that sounds like the average Green to me, whats the problem?

Commenter

SteveH.

Date and time

December 13, 2012, 8:43AM

I always thought he displayed symptoms of narcissism, his past along with this certainly doesn't do him any favours.

Assage is no different to those radio hosts who thought 'it's funny' to prank someone in a hospital. The rest of the world now gets to see the certain element that plagues Australia but has been hidden by distance and isolation in the past.

Commenter

Scott P.

Date and time

December 13, 2012, 8:44AM

I'll be voting for him and going by the poll so will many others who are sick of these governments who are only interested in feathering their own nests. .

Commenter

Craig

Location

Mordialloc

Date and time

December 13, 2012, 8:45AM

How strange, we may have a politician for the people instead of established power and who actually stands for something other than getting re-elected.

Commenter

Cam

Location

Sydney

Date and time

December 13, 2012, 8:46AM

@Tim,

it won't be his global following that will be voting for or against him - it will be the Australian people, who he can't even meet face to face on the election trail, due to being holed up in an embassy in London.